Masquerade
by Salomedancing
Summary: The future Mrs. Darling attends a costume ball with an unexpected result.


Before Mary became Mrs. Darling, she was Miss Charming, and every boy who ever knew her, loved her. George Darling cleverly won her, though, and they began a happy engagement before they could be happily married.

One beautiful evening, Mary was making herself ready for a costume ball. She was quite excited because George had hinted that his costume would be spectacular, and she was very curious. She was so excited that she was finished long before her mother started to nag her for being late, and thus had plenty of time to admire herself in the hall mirror. She had chosen to be a shepherdess, and she thought she looked almost daring with her hair loose in long dark curls, and the wide skirts showing off more ankle than her everyday dresses ever did.

Well, at the ball she eagerly looked over the room to see if she could spot her darling George. She saw him nowhere, and then she completely forgot him for a second when the most dashing man she had ever seen came toward her. The man was dressed as a pirate in a lush red velvet coat, and his long black hair fell in thick ringlets over his broad shoulders. Before she could say a word he bowed deeply in front of her, catching her hand and kissing it.

Mary blushed as his hot breath wafted over her skin, and then he looked up, dazzling her even more with the most brilliantly blue eyes she had ever seen. And then she recognized him; it was her George, but so unlike himself that she could hardly believe her eyes. Without his glasses his eyes looked so different, his darkly tinted skin made his teeth flash so much whiter, but it was George, she could not doubt it. Delighted, she clapped her hands.

"Oh George, this is the best costume at the whole ball."

George just smiled and then he reached out his hand to lead her to the dance floor. Only then did Mary see that he had hidden his right hand and wore a sharp hook instead, making the illusion of a pirate complete. It was a wonderful evening. Mary had never felt so much in love, and she felt very proud that he was hers, when she saw the glances he got from the other girls. It seemed that playing a robber from the sea made his shyness fall away, and he seemed surer of himself than she had ever seen him before.

Had it been an ordinary ball, Mary would have protested when he sneaked them out in the garden, far away from her parents' eyes. But now she only laughed breathlessly, and when he kissed her, she wound her arms around his neck, and allowed him more freedom with his hand than she had ever done before. Indeed, when he laid her back on a stone bench under a large tree, she could only think of how her whole body ached to feel his touch. After all, she dimly thought with her skirts above her waist, after all they were getting married very soon. And despite of what she had heard, it didn't hurt much of all- mostly it was just a sea of pleasure.

Afterward, when she had fastened her clothes and brushed back her hair, he took her in his arms.

"You are so lovely," he whispered. "I think I shall take you with me to my ship, so I can ravish you again and again."

Mary laughed at the game. "I will surely try to flee such a dreadful fate."

The pirate laughed. "Then I will chain you to my bed, my beauty, and you'll never get away."

Mary had no time to answer, because suddenly she heard her mother calling for her. She stood up in a hurry.

"I have to go." She pressed a kiss on George's forehead. "I'll see you soon, my darling."

But when she tried to leave she found that George was still holding her hand, holding it quite hard. She took another step, but he didn't let go. Momentarily afraid, she looked at him, and to her consternation she could see a red glimmer in his eyes. Then her mother called again, and she broke loose and ran. And as she left, she smiled over what had just happened between them. All the way home she felt wonderful, only a very minute part of her ashamed over what she had done. It must surely be a very small sin- the wedding was just a few weeks away. And now she looked forward to it even more than before.

The wonderful feeling lasted all the way home and until Mary had read the small billet that had reached her home a little too late for her to see before the ball.

"Mr. George Darling is very sorry, but he has misstepped on the staircase and badly sprained his ankle. To his utmost regret it will be impossible for him to attend the costume ball tonight."

End


End file.
